Gearing for rotary irons



O t. 22, 1940- H. SCHLESINGER I 2,213,893

GEARING FOR ROTARY IRONS Filed July 5, 193a UNIT S E Patented Oct. 22, 1940 PATENT oF icE 2,218,893 GEARING FOR ROTARY IRONS Harry Schlesinger, Des Moines, Iowa Application July 5, 1938, Serial No. 217,462

3 Claims. (Cl. 74'421) A further object is to'provide step down gearing mechanismfor transmitting rotation from a motor on a laundry. iron housing to a sole plate at the bottom of the housing, the sole plate being rotatable relative to the housing for increasing the surface travel of the sole plate over that secured by manual movement of the iron itself across the material being ironed.

Another object is to provide step down gearing mechanism which is so designed that it can be located in a gear casing which is made rotatable relative to a stationary part, such as a sleeve, the power shaft for the gear casing extending into thesleeveandnovel connectionbeing made between the power shaft and the gear casing, such mechanism being entirelyenclosed in the gear casing. r

More particularly it is an object of my invention to provide step down gearing mechanism which can be used in connection with a rotary soleplate of a laundryiron as disclosed, or can be applied to any other desired use where step down gearing mechanism enclosed within a gear casing is desirable.

A further object is to provide a stationary sleeve with a gear casing rotatably mounted on it and gearing connections between a power shaft extending into the sleeve and the gear casing including an arm extending laterally from the sleeve and carrying a countershaft, there being gear connections between the power shaft, the countershaft and the interior of the gear casing itself.

With the contemplated objects in View, as well as others which will become apparent as my description proceeds, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims,

and illustrated in-the accompanying drawing, in I 1 on the sole plate Ill and this casing is enclosed I and a top wall- M. The housing H has a dependcountershaft 25 is 'journalled in stationary bearreference numeral ID to indicate a sole plate. The sole plate ID has a heating element |2 therein to which current may be supplied in any suitable manner. A gear casing G is mounted by a housing H. 'The housing His surmounted by the motor M provided for the purpose of rotating the sole plate |0 A The gear casing G includes a bottom wall I3 ing hub l5 at its center in which is mounted a 0 sleeve I6. The sleeve l6 is fixed relative to the hub I5 by a key anda lock nut IS. The sleeve I6 depends through a-bore.|9 in the top H of the gear casing G. The gear casing is journalled relative to the sleeve by bearings 26 and 2| which 0 are preferably of ball or roller type. From the foregoing description it is obvious that the gear casing G and therefore the sole plate Ill are rotatably mounted Withrelation to the housing H.

Within the gear casing G an arm 22 is keyed as by a key 23 to the sleeve Hi. The right hand end of this armis forked to provide a pair of arms indicated as 22a. The arms 22a carry bearings 24 which journal a countershaft 25. l

The motor M'is-of the usual electric type having an armature 26 and a field core 21. The field coils are indicated at 28. The shaft of the motor is indicated at 29 and depends through a bearing 3|] to a position within the sleeve I6. A motor extension shaft 3| is provided which has an enlarged and socket-like upper end 3|a. The motor shaft 29 extends into the socket end 32a of the motor extension shaft and carries a cross key 32' extending through slots in both the motor shaft 29 and the socket end 3|a. This key is pinned in the motor shaft by a pin 33. The motor extension shaft 3| is journaled in the sleeve 5 by bearings 34.

A drive pinion 35 is secured as by a key 36 to the motor extension shaft 3|. The drive pinion 35 meshes with a countershaft gear 31 secured to the countershaft 25 as by a key 38. Also secured to the countershaft 25 by a, key 39 is a countershaft pinion 40. A ring gear 4| is secured as by screws 42 to the top M of the gear casing H5. The countershaft pinion 4| meshes with the ring gear 4|. Since the sleeve l6 and the arms 22a are stationary'relative to the housing H, the

ings. Accordingly rotation of the motor shaft 29 will cause rotation of the drive pinion 35 and in turn the countershaft gear 31 and the countershaft pinion 40. Rotation of the pinion 4|] causes rotation of the ring gear 4| and thereby of the gear casing G and the sole plate ill at a reduced speed relative to the motor shaft 29.

My arrangement of gearing permits the mechanism to be compactly arranged within the gear casing G where it may be entirely enclosed and lubricated from a supply of oil 43 in the bottom of the gear casing. The oil will be carried by the operating parts to all the various bearings and gear teeth. Any oil that works up along the shafts 3! and 29 or the interior of the sleeve H5, in addition to any that might come from the motor M, will be caught by a cup-like extension M. on the upper surface of the gear casing top M. Any excess oil in this cup-like portion will drain through openings 45 in a spacer disk 46 to the sleeve l6 and through perforations 41 in the wall thereof to the interior of the sleeve and thus back to the reservoir supply in the gear casing G.

The sleeve 56 is slotted adjacent the right side thereof as indicated at 48 to permit entrance of the teeth of the counter-shaft gear 31 to meshing relation with the drive pinion 35. The entire gearing assembly can be placed in the gear casing before its top M is assembled in position and thereafter the sleeve Hi can be secured by the lock nut H3 in the hub if of the housing H. This makes a very convenient assembly and permits ready connection of the motor shaft 29 with the motor extension shaft 35 for transmitting power to the gearing mechanism for rotating the sole plate l0.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my gearing mechanism Without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention. I intend to cover by my claims such modified forms of structure and use of mechanical equivalents as may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In power transmission means, a housing having a motor therein, a gear casing rotatably mounted relative to the housingand an opera tive connection between said housing and said gear casing comprising a sleeve extending from. said housing and fixed against rotation relative thereto, said sleeve entering said casing and said casing being rotatably mounted on said sleeve by bearings on the outside of said sleeve, an arm extending laterally from said sleeve, a countershaft journalled in said arm, a motor shaft entering said sleeve and having a drive pinion therein, a countershaft gear on said countershaft meshing with said drive pinion, a countershaft pinion on said countershaft and a ring gear secured to said gear casing and meshing with said countersha-ft pinion, said sleeve having an opening in the side thereof through which said countershaft gear extends to meshing relation with said drive pinion.

2. The combination of a housing, a sleeve depending from the housing, a gear case having a top member with a centrally located annularly upstanding neck portion to prevent escape of lubricant from said gear case and an imperforate bowl-shaped bottom member; a bearing connection between said bottom member and the end of said sleeve, a bearing connection between said topmember and said sleeve, a lateral extension from said sleeve between said bearing connections, a countershaft mounted on said extension, a drive shaft in said sleeve, a gear connection between said drive shaft and said countershaft and a gear connection between said countershaft and said top member of said gear case.

3. A motor housing, a sleeve depending from the housing and fixed against rotation relative thereto, a gear casing surrounding said sleeve, said casing having an imperf'orate bowl-shaped bottom member and a top member forming a closure therefor, said bottom member being journalled on the end of said sleeve, and said top member being journalled on said sleeve adjacent said housing, a motor shaft in said sleeve, a drive pinion on said motor shaft, a lateral extension. from said sleeve intermediate said journals,

a stub shaft carried by said extension, a gear on said stub shaft meshing with said pinion, .a gear fixed with reference to said casing, and a pinion on saidstub shaft meshing with said fixed gear.

HARRY SC'HLESINGER. 

